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Former NFL star Darren Sharper held without bond

A Los Angeles judge on Monday refused to release on house arrest a former star NFL safety accused of drugging and raping two women so that he could appear in Phoenix on similar charges stemming from a Tempe incident.

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Former NFL star Darren Sharper held without bond

File: In a California courtroom on Monday, former NFL player Darren Sharper appears before a judge to see if he'll be released on bail. Sharper faces charges in California and Arizona for sex assault and drugging.

A Los Angeles judge on Monday refused to release on house arrest a former star NFL safety accused of drugging and raping two women so that he could appear in Phoenix on similar charges stemming from a Tempe incident.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Renee Korn continued to jail Darren Sharper without bond after prosecutors argued that the Maricopa County Attorney's Office is preparing a governor's warrant for his extradition to Arizona.

"While we are moving forward to a have a governor's warrant issued, it is not our intent to extradite until his California case is finished," said Jerry Cobb, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office.

Los Angeles was the first to charge Sharper, 38, and Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said at a new conference last week that it would be routine procedure for Arizona authorities to await their turn to prosecute the former All-Pro.

Cobb said local authorities have reached no deals to release Sharper on bond because Sharper faces non-bondable charges in Arizona.

"By law, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office will proceed with its case first and Arizona will then have the opportunity to bring the defendant to answer the charges alleged in the indictment," according to a motion filed by Los Angles prosecutors.

Deputy Maricopa County Andrea Kever wrote in court documents attached as exhibits in the Los Angeles case that Arizona authorities hope to issue the Arizona governor's warrant for Sharper's extradition by Wednesday.

Sharper's defense attorneys had argued that his rights to due process had been violated. Sharper initially was released on a $200,000 bond, and the amount was increased to $1 million when authorities revealed he was under investigation in Arizona, Louisiana, Florida and Nevada.

Sharper surrendered on Feb. 27 in Los Angeles after New Orleans issued an arrest warrant. New Orleans did not bring charges, but Sharper eventually was indicted in Phoenix on charges that he sexually assaulted two women and drugged three. The indictment alleges he sexually assaulted the women in November at a Tempe apartment complex after drugging them with Ambien, a prescription sleep medication.

Before his arrests, Sharper appeared on The NFL Network after a stellar career with the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints.